Business Ethics Within the Pharmaceutical Industry on Wednesday's Access Utah

Conan Grames is a Utah native, lawyer, and lobbyist, who has held top positions in the pharmaceutical industry. He is a former general counsel for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) the trade organization that represents the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. Grames says he “was always proud to be part of the pharmaceutical industry in its efforts to save lives.” Others point out problems they see with Big Pharma: excessive lobbying power, inadequate distribution of life-saving drugs, and promotion of a medical culture too dependent on drugs instead of preventive medicine. We’ll talk about these issues as well as relief efforts in Japan. When the earthquake and tsunami hit in 2011, Conan Grames was working as area director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He became heavily involved in coordinating relief efforts.

Conan Grames will give the dean’s convocation at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business on Utah State University's campus at 11:30 a.m. in the George S. Eccles Business Building on Wednesday Feb. 13. He will discuss ethics, international business, and relief efforts in Japan. The convocation is free and open to the public.

Later in the program we will be joined by professional magician, Richard Hatch, whose new children's book has just been published. "Taro-San the Fisherman and the Weeping Willow Tree" was inspired by the ancient Japanese feat of “Nankin Tamasudare,” in which bamboo sticks are manipulated into figures, and the art of the great Japanese master Hokusai. Hatch includes his telling of this tale, illustrated with the mysterious tamasudare mat, in many performances.